The Lost Temple of Namimori
by punkneeter
Summary: Tsuna is an archeologist wishing to finish his father's work, to find the lost city of Namimori and its High Priestess, the Sky Queen. Little did he know that his grand discovery would lead him to release the strongest demons in the underworld. Suddenly, the once seemingly lost and abandoned city was more grave and dark than Tsuna thought.


One of the earliest memories that Tsuna can remember of his childhood was the picnic that he had with his mother and father. Kaasan had spent the whole morning preparing a delicious lunch for the family and Tsuna helped as much as his little hands could.

If Tsuna closed his eyes, he can almost imagine he was there again all those years ago.

The sun was shining brightly that day and there was a nice sweet breeze. He can still feel the earth beneath his feet. He could almost taste the bittersweet lemonade, the tang of cheese, and the rich flavor of smoked meat. He can still remember the feeling of his father's arms holding him close, praising him for his growth and bright eyes.

Looking out into the sea, Tsuna nearly envision his own father playing catch with him in their garden, as if he was a bystander amongst his own family, but like all things, they seemed to fade away.

His childhood was by no means normal. His parents were both loving, yes, but his father was always traveling across the world searching for hidden worlds. He spent almost every waking moment releasing new discoveries to the archeology and history world. It was his pride, his raison d'etre in life. And as Tsuna grew older, he did know that his father loved him and his mother very much, but he also knew that his work was the most important thing in life.

But his mother and he never seemed to mind. Of course, they missed him and wished him home, but they had always accepted him with open arms time and time again when he would return from his travels.

Another memory, or rather a feeling, that Tsuna can remember (as the feeling seemed to still burn today) was how much he missed him when he was away.

His father had always encouraged his curiosity and his love for history. Tsuna would journey to his father's office regularly to read his books and watch the statues, knives, and masks that his father had collected during his trips. If anything, it only made Tsuna loved it all the more and it made him feel that he was closer to his father this way. And while he was away, there was still a part of him that remained. And to this day, Tsuna clung to it as he did all those years ago…

His mother, he remembers, was always loving and caring despite the absence of his father who had always loved her no matter where he went or how long he was gone. She made sure that Tsuna was aware of their love. He missed her greatly, and he did not realize how alone he would be when she had died when he was thirteen.

In that moment of time, Tsuna had hated his father for abandoning them, his sick wife who waited for his return, but he never came back. He never came back for her or for him.

He was on a journey, in search for the lost city of Namimori and its Sky Queen, The High Priestess.

People had thought his father was crazy and as Tsuna can remember it then, he almost appeared to be so too. He was almost desperate to find the city that seemed to be only made from legends and stories. And despite his findings, his father was mocked by everyone in the field of archeology. His credibility was almost lost and he had desperately tried to mend it by finding Namimori and their High Priestess. But he never came back from his trip all those years ago.

They told Tsuna that his father was lost at sea. There were no traces of his boat and he was never heard of again. The last signal of the crew and the ship was in the Indian Ocean, but there was nothing but water and storm. And as Tsuna grew up without his mother, never knowing what happened to his father, Tsuna had resented history for the damage it had caused.

But now, as he was older, that bitter resentment had gone away. He still loved his father and he still aches at the thought of his mother.

In the end, Tsuna didn't know where this resolve to finish his father's work had come from, but he found himself unable to do anything else. He almost hoped that he would find him if found the lost city or maybe some answers to fill this hole inside his chest.

So, as soon as he was of age, Tsuna had left the orphanage and returned to the Sawada Manor back in his father's homeland in Italy.

It was still large and grand, waiting for the return of the last of the Sawadas. And while it filled him with nostalgic joy to be back home, it did not chase away the feeling of solitude.

While his father nearly went mad, he still left a generous amount of money to him and Tsuna used it to fund his own research.

He had used most of it by now and Tsuna was more than sure that he had succeeded in tracing the origins of Namimori. (His father had not made it easy. Everything he seemed to be coded for some unknown reasons.) But Tsuna didn't have enough money to rent a boat to the location that was in the middle of nowhere. It was even harder trying to find a crew willing to go on such a wild goose chase to such mythical fantasies.

Tsuna could not be more surprised and suspicious when a hand was offered to him from one of the most unlikely of people.

Vongola they were called. They were a rather large corporation that Tsuna knew rather well. His father often had disagreements with them and it was one of the main reasons for Tsuna's hesitation.

He had his own research on them, but they always came up clean, but his father had always suspected that there was another dangerous motive beneath their black business suits. However, he never told Tsuna his suspicions and never noted it in detail in his journals.

But Tsuna was so close that he can almost taste it. He knew that he had found the lost city and was so close to finding the temple of the high priestess that he had risked it anyway. They had not asked for much or anything at all really. They simply wished that he continues his research to find this city and even though Tsuna had his doubts, he had pushed them away as he was on the bridge of discovery.

And that's where Tsuna was now as he continued to watch the waves crash against the boat and the endless color of blue in his vision.

There was nothing here that hinted an island or a city so grand could exist in this ocean, but he knew that it did. He could feel it in his heart and soul that he had the coordinates right. Even if the crew thought he was crazy.

However, to Tsuna, they were an odd bunch all on their own.

There was five of them in total that managed the boat with additional nameless crew, all of which was provided to him by the Vongola Company. They were all expert engineers and geologist in their own way.

There was Hayato Gokudera, the demolitionist, or as he's known as, Smokin' Bomb Hayato. He was just busted out of the Italian prison Vendicare for damage and drug dealing. He was very smart all on his own, reaching nearly genius levels. He was the only one who seemed to be able to keep up with Tsuna when rambled on about the history and the possibilities of Namimori, but he was also hot-headed and liked to swear more than Tsuna liked. Not to mention he was a terrible smoker.

Then there was Takeshi Yamamoto, the swordsmith and cook. He was a very nice man who seemed to find dangerous things funny. He seemed more like an air-head, but Tsuna could sense great understanding from him time to time. Not to mention he was a great cook, favoring sushi.

Ryohei Sasagawa was the mechanic and doctor of their expedition. Like Yamamoto, he seemed to be oblivious to all dangers but was also a very nice person to converse with- even though he was always confused when Tsuna talked to him about his research. He was also really loud and Tsuna feared that he would go deaf during this trip or accidentally beaten to death by the man if he tried to start another boxing match with him again.

And Tsuna knew that if Ryohei didn't accidentally kill him, then Kyoya Hibari and Mukuro Rokudo would.

Tsuna knew he would never meet more dangerous men than those two. Hibari was the captain of the expedition despite the multiple voices of disagreement from everyone else. And despite the fact that he was quite emotionless, he was very frightening and bloodthirsty. The man preferred to be alone and Tsuna was more than willing to leave him be.

Rokudo, on the other hand, was also very dangerous but was far more narcissistic and dramatic than anyone else Tsuna had ever met. Tsuna didn't really know what his purpose was on the trip, and no one bothered telling him anyway. The man remained almost like a ghost, offering unnecessary comments for the sake of chaos amongst the crew.

When they had first met, they treated Tsuna like he was a child, a joke. It brought back painful memories of when he was in still in middle school. Tsuna was not charismatic, physically strong or adaptable, and had often fallen behind in all subjects besides history and geology. They reminded him of his old bullies, but Tsuna tried to ignore them the best they could. Even when they had far more snippy comments to say.

Tsuna preferred to eat on his own and work in his room on the boat. They didn't ask for his attention and he didn't give it.

Today was unfortunately not one of those days.

"So, what's the deal with the journal?" asked Gokudera as he snatched it from Tsuna's hands.

Tsuna whipped his head at him and tried to reach it from the other man's hands, but he was too short.

Tsuna was in the kitchen going over his father's notes, ignoring the plate of food and tea sitting beside him, when the rest of the crew came in. He was not surprised to find that Hibari wasn't one of them.

"It's my father's journal," answer Tsuna, jumping to reach the book, but it was always just a little too far for him to reach. "This journal is the key to finding Namimori!"

"Ha!" said Mukuro from his seat. "We weren't born yesterday. Namimori doesn't exist."

At last, Tsuna was able to grab the journal since Gokudera was distracted by Mukuro's loud outburst.

Tsuna found it a little funny that he seemed to think so cause why else would he be on this trip if there seemed to be no purpose. Tsuna glared at him, feeling a bit annoyed at the comment. It reminded him of the snooty scholars that doubted his father and himself.

"There is so much more about the world that we don't know about," murmured Tsuna as he flipped through his journal. "Look, look! There are coordinates. Clues. It's all right here."

"Looks like gibberish to me," said Yamamoto as he gazed over the other boy's shoulder.

Tsuna sent him a glare. "That's because it's written in Italian and an ancient Japanese dialect that no longer exists. My father has been studying it for years, and I intend to finish his research."

Everyone gave him a blank look but didn't talk to him after that. They continued to eat their food before they made their way out of the kitchen one by one.

Tsuna stayed by himself studying his notes and slightly altering the coordinates on the map.

If his father's journal was correct, then this is where the lost village of Nammori should be: right at the edge of Japan where it was believed the edge of the earth existed.

They wouldn't be there for another three days at least. They have been at sea for 2 weeks now and they were so close. Snapping the book close, Tsuna turned off the lights and made his way to his room.

He placed his things in the chest that was provided to him and tried to get some sleep.

* * *

The next morning Tsuna walked into the kitchen to find the whole crew there again, except this time Hibari was also there. They were arguing loudly and Tsuna could have made out most the conversation if they weren't all screaming over each other.

When Tsuna walked in, they all ceased their screaming and looked at Tsuna with various looks.

Yamamoto laughed it off, but Gokudera and Hibari were glaring at him- not like that was unusual. Ryohei and Mukuro had such a serious face that he knew that something was wrong.

Their silence didn't it make it better.

There was obviously something that he didn't know about if the looks they were giving him was anything to go by, but he couldn't find a reason as to why. Maybe he made a mistake in trusting Vongola. His father had never trusted them and he must have a good reason to do so. But he was so close now; the city, the temple, and the high priestess were so close that he just _knew_ that he could not turn away now despite the consequences.

And despite their faces, Tsuna remained silent and ignored the feeling in his stomach. However, the feeling only seemed to worsen. There was something wrong and before Tsuna could voice such concerns, a loud siren gave out all over the ship. Instantly, everyone got up and ran all over the ship.

Tsuna chased after them.

"A storm is coming!" someone yelled, but Tsuna couldn't tell who said it. Running towards the deck, Tsuna watched horrified as he saw a large great wave make its way towards them.

It was sunny moments before, but now they seemed to find themselves in a thunderous storm that came from nowhere. It was raining hard and Tsuna found that his clothes were already soak; the smell of salt water was heavier in the air than it had ever been before.

All around him, people were running, screaming, but he barely seemed to notice.

Then, he was underwater.

The water pushed him down and Tsuna looked with blurry eyes as the ship fell deeper into the sea. His lungs burned as he swallowed so much salt water.

The last thing he saw was the endless sea of water.

* * *

When Tsuna opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself alive. He had washed up at the coast of an island and there were pieces of metal washed up on the sand along with him. He was alone and there was nothing with him. Looking around, Tsuna walked along the beach hoping to find anything really to point him towards any sort of life.

What he found was even better.

Along the coast, Tsuna found a familiar metal chest, the same chest that was in his room that had his father's journal.

Running towards it, Tsuna opened it and sighed in relief to find that both the journal, his own notes, some clothes, and his satchel bag all remained safe if a little wet. It was a miracle all on its own, but he still did not know where he was or if anyone else had survived along with him.

With no other choice, Tsuna grabbed his bag from the chest and placed the journal, some papers, and a few pencils inside. Grabbing the walkie, Tsuna tried to call for anyone.

"Is there anyone there? Anyone?!" but the only thing that came back was white noise.

Frowning Tsuna looked around before pocketing the walkie and began his search for anyone.

He spent the whole day looking, but he never found anyone. Once the sun began to set, Tsuna knew that he would be sleeping alone that night and had began to start a fire. He would have to continue searching for the rest of the crew.

Taking out the walkie, Tsuna tried to see if he could signal anyone, but there was only white noise again.

Tsuna sighed and threw it a couple of feet away from him. Then, suddenly, Tsuna heard some rustle from the bushes a few feet away from him. When Tsuna turned around, his eyes widen in surprise and in fear to find a tofa shining in the fire's light. Looking up, Tsuna found the steel eyes of Hibari. Behind him were the others and Tsuna couldn't stop himself from sighing in relief.

Gokudera ticked at him before throwing his cigarette to the floor and stomping on it. "I'm surprised to find that you made it out alive. I was sure that you died along with the rest of the ship."

But before Tsuna could say anything, the others already began to shuffle towards the fire. Tsuna remained silent as did the rest of them. They all looked like they were fine, no visible injuries on their person, but their clothes were ripped and a few pieces of their clothing was missing.

Tsuna was sure that he was the only one alive, but he was happy nonetheless to find that he wasn't alone. He didn't think he would be able to survive a day on his own, let alone for the rest of the night.

And as Tsuna felt the fire's warmth pull him to sleep, he knew that they would not abandon him.

* * *

T he next morning, Tsuna woke to the sound of something heavy falling down near his head.

Tsuna yelped and flinched at the sound and was surprised to find some Daidai (Asian oranges).

Yamamoto was in front of him smiling and Gokudera sat on a log behind him smoking another cigarette. Tsuna didn't know where he found them and was surprised to see that he didn't lose them during the storm.

To his surprise, there were a variety of crates and other chests surrounding them now.

As if sensing his question, Yamamoto spoke. "We went back to the coast to salvage anything that we could. We were able to find some supplies, but not much."

Nodding his head, Tsuna sat up and picked up one of the oranges before throwing it in the air and catching it. He didn't feel like eating, but he didn't know when they would find food again and he began to peel the fruit. It was sweet if a bit sour, but Tsuna ate them quickly. He didn't realize just how hungry he was until the first touch of the fruit was on his tongue.

When he finished, Tsuna watched as the others began to gear up with what they could find.

Hibari, Tsuna already knew, had his tofas. Gokudera was luckily able to salvage some dynamite, but if the cross look on his face was anything to go by, Tsuna doubted that they were in a favorable state.

Mukuro was smirking like he always did, but there was a noticeable tick at his forehead. Ryohei had his own bag which Tsuna assumed was filled with medical supplies.

Tsuna was more surprised to find that Yamamoto was able to find his sword. He was sure that it was lost with the rest of their things, but he was happy for the man. He knew that it had been his father's and his grandfather's.

Then, suddenly, Hibari dropped a gun in front of Tsuna's feet and Tsuna flinched away from it.

"Keep it on you, herbivore," he said before he walked away. Tsuna frowned at the gun and he didn't dare pick it up until Ryohei told him that he should.

"There could be animals in this jungle. It is better to have it on you so that you can be able to defend yourself."

Little did he know that Tsuna had never fired a gun in all his life. He was a scholar, not a fighter, but he picked it up anyways and awkwardly placed the holster on his belt.

He looked ridiculous, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

However, before Tsuna could fix his appearance, Tsuna found himself being shoved to the front.

"We are here because of you," said Gokudera before snapping his eyes towards the journal. "You better hope that the journal you got there had led us to the right place, otherwise you'll have to be worry about other things besides animals in these jungles."

Swallowing thickly, Tsuna nodded his head in understanding before he flipped through the journal.

The last time he checked the coordinates, they were three days away from the suppose location of Namimori, but it is possible that the current of the storm had brought them all the way here. There were no other known islands in this general area, unless they were recently formed, but this island seemed to be old and long lived.

Looking through the Journal, Tsuna tried searching for a way to find the lost city, but he had no clue as to where they were. There was supposed to be a waterfall that lead towards the outskirts to the farmers' land- or at least that was what was written in the entries of an old merchant.

"In one of the diary entries of the merchants, they said that there was a waterfall near the west coast of the island. There is a stream that will lead us to the suburbs of the city. There, we can find a road to lead us," said Tsuna turning around to see if he could find the waterfall from his position.

"There was one just a few miles down that way," said Yamamoto pointing to the left of their area. "I saw it last night, but figured it was too far away to go exploring. It seems we don't have much a choice."

Nodding his head, Tsuna looked to Hibari for approval, but then the man only stared him down before jerking his head in a slight nod. Taking that as his cue, Tsuna led the way with slow movements, stumbling along the roots of trees and jerking away at the loud and mysterious sounds of the jungle.

They traveled for most of the day taking very few breaks. Tsuna had accidentally led the astray a few times, but the threating looks he was getting from the crew made him more unsure of his expedition than he would like.

Eventually, they did make it the waterfall which was large and powerful and absolutely breathtaking. Tsuna gazed at with starry eyes, amazed at the beauty and tranquility of it all. The air was most noticeably sweet here where flowers were in full bloom and the fresh water was high in the air.

The crew had silently decided to make camp here. The sun was already setting and the likelihood of them finding fresh water again was slim to none.

Instantly, Gokudera and Ryohei began starting a fire while Yamamoto began gathering food from trees and bushes (mostly fruit and roots). Tsuna tried to help with knowledge of the wildlife, stopping Yamamoto from grabbing some poisonous berries and mushrooms.

Hibari and Rokudo were checking the premises for anything dangerous, but Tsuna doubted that they would find anything more dangerous than them.

As they were salvaging for food, Tsuna found some coconut trees. It was quite odd to see them since they were not all that native to Japan, but they were commonly found in the Indian ocean where they currently lied.

With the use of Yamamoto's sword, they were able to gather a few and were able to create small holes so that they could use them as a makeshift coconut canteen.

The rest of the night remained silent since none of them seemed in the mood to talk, even though Yamamoto and Ryohei tried their best.

Tsuna kept to himself as he always did in hopes to make himself feel less awkward. He was, however, adding more additional notes to his father's journals. Since they had found the waterfall, all they would need to do would be to follow the stream in hopes that they could find some traces of harvest or homes to indicate that they were indeed in the right place.

If there was life currently, Tsuna believed that they would have already been founded by the people of the island. Yet, it would seem that they were left abandon. There was no life besides that of nature.

Shaking his head, Tsuna erased a few notes from his previous musings. It would seem that the place was indeed dead of its past residents if they were in Namimori, but he found it quite odd.

The city was rich in resources and was said to be large and prosperous. There was no reason for them to desert their home unless they had died from sickness or war. However, even that seemed to be wrong. One crew member of the merchant had written his amazement at their water system. It was quite advance and from some of the sketches the man had, it matched similar methods of the Aztecs and seemed to even be influenced by those of Ancient Greece- the man had written a small passage the mentioned underground clay pipes for sanitation and water supply.

He had also mentioned that there were also "several different pools" that indicated public bathing which removed the notion of the disease since the water and its people were "constantly clean".

War had a greater possibility, but there was no mention of anything of the sorts, though his sources were often vague and limited, Tsuna could not completely remove it from the table. Tsuna held onto the idea that their disappearance had to deal with the late Sky Queen. And while he wasn't a strong believer in folklore and magic, surely something akin to 'supernatural' must have occurred? But he was not sure. Hopefully, he would find some answers, not only to find the reason why a once great civilization had ended but to also ease his qualms about his father's disappearance.

This was the last place his father was said to be- the place he had spent his life searching for. It had been years since he had last seen him and while his father was more than ordinary, Tsuna did not have complete faith in his surviving abilities. Still, it made him nervous to think that he could find his father alive and well or the dead remains of the man that was nearly forgotten had it not been for the pictures of his face. But that did not stop the sense of adventure that seemed to leak from Tsuna.

The very possibility to prove to all other scholars that his father was correct was more than enough to motivate him, but given the loss of their cargo and ship, it was not possible that he might find his way back ever again.

Glancing at the rest of the crew, he nearly let out a small laugh.

For some reason, he doubted that they would allow such a thing to happen. They didn't seem to be the type to let a _little bit of water_ get in their way, especially since Hibari was a fierce lover of his home town back in Japan- or at least that's what Yamamoto told him weeks before. A lot of them grew up in the same town, but Tsuna couldn't remember the name of it.

The only exception was Gokudera and Rokudo who both spent the majority of their life in Italy like Tsuna.

Snapping out of his head, Tsuna gazed up at the stars. It was beautiful, but even then, the blackness that stared back at him was less than comforting.

* * *

The next morning, Tsuna was once again leading the group, following closely to what was mentioned in the book.

However, the longer they spent lost in the forest, the more Tsuna became unsure. It almost felt endless and he feared that maybe those scholars were correct and that his father was crazy. More than once Tsuna had felt unsure of which road to take and there still appeared to be a hint that there was once a great civilization existed. There should be boats along the coast; markers or stone hedges to lead the way, or even a gate or an entrance! But there was nothing.

Once Tsuna began to finally be on his last shred of hope, Tsuna accidentally crashed into the firm body of Rokudo.

Rubbing his nose, Tsuna was about to apologize when he saw a large wooden gate in front of him.

Finally! There was hope at last!

The whole gate was large and old, there some moss and bits of decay on the wood. Along with some markings on it as well.

Gazing at the wooden gate, Tsuna began to write feverously, drawing symbols and comparing them to the ones in his father's old notebook. There was an inscription written below the gate.

Craning his neck, Tsuna read the old dialect:_ leave the world behind…_

There was some evidence that there was more written, but it was scratched out, almost intentionally. Tsuna frowned.

The message was a bit forbidding and vague. It appeared to be a warning of sorts, but he couldn't make sure.

Looking back towards the crew who were gazing intently as he was towards the gate, he returned his focus to the journal.

"I think this is one of the entrances to the City of Namimori," he said, but the others did not look convinced.

"I've seen them before," continued Tsuna. "They're in my father's journal, these markings."

But they sent blank stares, but he could feel the doubt seeping through them. Tsuna shook his head and continued on anyway, entering lecturing mode.

"They must be ritualistic," informed Tsuna before looking at the white carving of a woman at the center. She wore a long white dress and a mushroom cap. She was surrounded by the sky elements that were carved around her.

"Look at the female figure on the gate," gestured Tsuna. "These clothes were only worn by the High Priestess. She was said to be part of a long line of powerful women that possessed the power to influence the balance of nature. She was also known as the Sky Queen: Luce, to her people. "

"We came all this way for a dead Queen of a forgotten village?" hissed Gokudera. Finally, some of his growing anger had seeped through and he was on the verge of lashing out at Tsuna, but he quickly tried to remedy it.

"Luce had power!" Argued Tsuna. He began to gesture to the mural behind him. "You could even say that it was shamanistic elemental. She was not just any queen, but nearly a God. You should never discount any of the legends, no matter how far-fetch or irrational they may appear to be. There is still so much we don't know about the world."

Tsuna began to move around noting everything he found to be interesting before finding a large stone, covered in dust and leaves. Cleaning it with his hands, Tsuna found that it was a large statue of a Monkey. Beneath its feet, there read an old inscription.

"We are close. These are statue guides to help travelers find their way to the village. It is written in an old Japanese dialect that's been dead since the common era or during the Nara period."

"After so long, what makes you think it still exists?" asked Yamamoto. "I would think that the village would be completely demolished during colonization or by the elements of nature."

Tsuna spared Yamamoto a glance but shook his head. "There were entries left behind by merchants and travelers that spoke of a hidden village, a city almost, that had wonderous things of gold, jade, and magic," explained Tsuna as he led the way through the thick forest. " There was even a letter written by the Head General given to Empress Gensho, back in the 9th century. He wrote to her about a wondrous city that he found when he was lost at sea. She had ordered him to find it, but they failed. It was almost as if it had vanished

"They had tried for years to locate it again. Anyone else would think that the city was created by delusions of a man lost at sea, but there were still journals being written centuries after that. There were testimonies that mentioned routes and trading books about a similar city. Only one merchant wrote down the name: Namimori. I think it is the same city. I have been keeping track of all their findings and noticed that a lot of their trading came from the south coast of Japan."

"So you think they were part of a distant island?"

They were still making their way through the forest until they reached a fork in the road. Tsuna walked towards a hidden stone that had collapsed from a neighboring tree root. As he examined the stone, he noticed that it was made of similar limestone as the monkey, except that this one was a frog. It pointed towards the west to reach the village itself while warning of a cliff on the east.

Nodding his head towards the west, Tsuna continued his way and his conversation. He was actually surprised to find that the rest of the crew was even remotely interested in his findings. It was sudden, but now they couldn't completely disclose these findings.

"Yes, particularly somewhere near the Americas. There have been some artifacts found of Aztec and Mayan origin found in Japan, but the distance between the two and the technology at the time wouldn't have given them the ability to do so. Well, at least not for mass trading. Unless, of course, there was a midpoint. Coincidentally, Namimori was said to be along the same lines from past transcripts. But then one day, they just stopped. There was no more trading and it was like they disappeared. No one has been able to find them or know why they hid from the world. I think they went missing possibly by disease or war, but I have a feeling that it might have to deal with the Sky Queen."

They soon found themselves staring at a large stone hill that looked impenetrable with no visible passage to the city. The statue said that it would be down this road, but there seemed to be nothing here. Had he read it wrong, wondered Tsuna. Or perhaps that maybe nature had forced their hands.

However, before Gokudera could start assessing the amount of dynamite he would need to make a passage, Tsuna grabbed him, halting him from anything. Moving near the trees, Tsuna could make out some sort of artwork hidden behind vines.

Calling out to Yamamoto, Tsuna gestured towards the wall. "Do you think you can cut down these vines?"

Looking at the wall briefly, Yamamoto unshelled his sword from its case and began to slice through them easily. And just as Tsuna suspected, there was another mural, this one however was made of multicolored pebbles.

Looking closer, Tsuna tried to find any more inscriptions that could direct them passage inside, but there seemed to be nothing.

As Tsuna continued to look, he heard a whistle coming from Hibari from the other side of the stone was a large cave seemed to be hidden by nature.

The cave was dark and gloomy and Tsuna didn't feel like entering it, but a quick shove, Tsuna found himself walking inside.

To his relief, it did not remain empty or dark but led to another opening. On the other side, he found himself facing a large city, crumbling and old, but still grand and beautiful from the distance. It was the lost city of Namimori. And on the far back, near the mountains, there was a large temple.

To think, that he was actually here. So close to finding the village and even the temple of the Sky Queen. His father had dedicated his life to his research, but they all thought he was crazy. There was hardly any evidence of a lost city, but they weren't looking. There have been tools too advance for the time period, styles of art that came from nowhere, and reminiscences of bowls and pots from the Aztecs (found in modern-day Guerrero) that could only come by trade.

But Japan knew nothing of the other side of the world. Not to mention the Aztecs was overtaken by the Spanish more than 2 decades before Europe had even come to Japan.

The only possible explanation was that Namimori had traded with the Aztecs and had then traded with the rest of Japan before they closed themselves off to the rest of the world.

Nodding to himself, Tsuna barely noticed the statue hidden by the trees. It was only when one of the men whistled his way again did he finally notices it.

Almost running towards it, Tsuna stared at it excitedly.

"Incredible. It is a chameleon." Walking closer, Tsuna gently brushed away at the statue. It was cool and rough at the touch. Even though it must have been centuries since someone had lost mended to it, it was still remarkable at the sheer detail.

Putting his bag down, Tsuna climbed a nearby rock to take a better look. Tsuna grunted and his limbs hurt, but he barely seemed to mind.

The statue was large, larger than the other statues that they found along their way. Almost twice their size, possibly three times their size, but that wasn't what caught his attention.

Grazing at the scales, Tsuna became enthralled that it was made out of pure Jade. It was ten feet tall and it loomed over it all of its glory. Pulling out his journal, Tsuna quickly sketched the statue, noting the detail and refinery of it. There was also an inscription that he read carefully and copied.

It was a monument directing him towards a hidden path past the city. A small surge of excitement flowed him as he nearly jumped at the thought.

To think that he was so close to the Great Temple was exhilarating. Finding the lost city was more than enough. Finally, after years of ridicule from all departments, he will finally show them.

Tsuna grabbed his bag and pushed past the overgrown trees and moved deeper and deeper into the forest. The rest of the crew followed him, but Tsuna didn't pay them any attention. He was too focused on his findings to notice that their expressions had changed drastically and they were in a deep conversation about one thing or another.

As they continued on their way, Tsuna noticed that the air was very earthy and sweet, but there was a lingering scent of decay.

It took them a couple of hours to get through the forest to get to the heart of the city. They must have passed through multiple small homes, long abandoned and falling apart, but even though he wished to explore the homes, Tsuna walked passed them. He desperately wished to get to the Temple as fast as he could. He continued to follow the dirt roads and curves around the small homes. There were small markers leading towards the hidden trail. Had he not read the inscription, he would never have noticed them at all. They were also animals. They was an eagle, and octopus, and a crocodile this time. Odd animals to choose, but Tsuna decided that he would investigate them later. Their purpose might be found in the temple anyway since religion always influenced culture.

However, as Tsuna made his way, he still noted the homes on how they seem to share similar pots and styles of homes shared around Japan and even in ancient China.

Once they reached the center of the city, which was very beautiful despite that the fact that it was mostly overgrown with vines and falling apart from the aspects of nature, Tsuna had left the crew so that he could continue exploring.

Tsuna was nearly huffing and puffing up the steep hill towards the temple.

It was large. No, it was huge. It was one story tall, but it was as high as the trees. The traditional redwood and gray platting of Japanese Shrines had influenced the design, but the structure lacked the same grand luster of traditional shrines. The entire temple was made of both wood and mountain. Along the edges of the pillars, stories were elegantly engraved on the walls and on the pillars that held it up. But, Tsuna frowned as he made his way near the bottom of the stairs.

It was still grand and beautiful, but it did not look like any temple. In fact, if he wasn't so sure, he would say that it looked more like an entrance to a tomb chamber. But that could not be right. None of the legends his father had found and study pointed to such a thing. Why would they worship a tomb?

Sighing, Tsuna walked up the stairs leading to the temple. He reached for the edge, holding on to the broken statue to keep his balance from the uneven steps and holes. He didn't really want to die from his clumsiness when he was so close to the thing he's been searching for his whole life.

When he reached the top, Tsuna took a moment to relax. He was a scientist, not an athlete. However, that did not mean he did not wish he was a little more fit. Years of torment from his gym teacher and classmates flashed in his head.

They had thought him too weak and stupid during his time in middle school and in high school. With the death of his mother and his father always away on his trips, his young adult life was difficult and lonely. And as he breathed in deeply, marveling at the landscape near the far edges of the forest, he still felt that loneliness time to time.

Shaking such melancholy thoughts, Tsuna looked down below.

The sun would be setting in a few hours. That was hardly enough sunlight to go exploring an ancient temple. Tsuna could see traces of smoke rising in the air. The crew must have set up camp, but his curiosity and desperate need to satisfy it had overcome him instead, and he turned around and made his way towards the grand stone doors that lead inside the temple.

As he made his way, he side-stepped over gravel and boulders that had fallen from time. Moss and roots already began reclaiming the land that has long since been lost and abandoned, but not forgotten.

Tsuna's mouth was opened slightly as he stared in wonderment at the great architecture of the grand doors. Similar to the rest of the temple and the pillars down below, there were markings engraved on the doors. However, unlike the others that told stories of the village and the beginning of the Sky Queen, these markings told a different story.

Moving closer, Tsuna gently traced the markings with his fingertips. He's seen similar markings in China. They had stone-like doors that were made of clay bricks that were used to construct burial grounds and chambers. These doors were the entryways. They were usually found during the Han dynasty. And while it was a little odd to find such a large time lapse between the two different countries, it still amazed Tsuna that it seemed that Namimori had a larger trading route than he originally thought. To think, they were so advanced that they were already trading with China and their opposites in the Americas.

However, while these doors were made of marble instead of clay, similarly they were still stamped with scenes of daily lives, but there was a strong focus of mythical images that reflected a dualistic view of the afterlife.

Flipping through his notes, Tsuna found it a bit strange that while they seemed to be so similar in style and design, the Hans people believed that when a person died, one part of their soul remained in the tomb while the other half would ascend to paradise- the realm of beings who have achieved immortality.

Yet, that was not the case. In these marking, it told of an eternal afterlife- almost like a sacrifice that would be isolated and alone. It told of a soul that would remain in the tomb forever, never to be released by supernatural means. Licking his lips, Tsuna shook his head. But that couldn't be right. Why would the Sun Queen, the major figure in all the designs on the exterior of the building, need to be sacrificed? She was beloved by her people- worshipped like an all-powerful Goddess. She was said to the utmost pure and had radiant light. Surely, she would be a being capable of achieving immortality in the afterlife.

Looking up, Tsuna began to quickly sketch the major factors on the doors, noting that most of it involved animals- the same animals that lead the way here.

There was the Monkey, the Chameleon, the Alligator, the Octopus, the Falcon, and the Frog. They were an odd bunch of animals and Tsuna couldn't find the connection between them. The Monkey was at least part of the Chinese and Korean zodiac, but the others? There was no connection that he could see.

Another part of the doors seemed to focus on Luce who stood in the middle and behind her stood another door similar to the one in front of him, but the markings had been carved away by erosion and he couldn't make it out. Then, there were the monsters.

During his trips in China, Tsuna could remember a door very similar to this one, except that there were guardian images, both realistic and symbolic, that decorated each door. If he remembered correctly, it was two men in long robes representing village officials flank a protective symbol, a ring-snouted monster mask. Other repeated motifs included a spade-shaped evergreen tree, designating longevity, and a small disk enclosing a bird in flight, signifying the sun.

Anyone else might guess that the creatures that decorated the doors were guardians that protected the Sky Queen, both in life and in the afterlife. Or, they could be the guardians of the afterlife, a treasured and powerful position in all cultures. But that didn't seem right at all. The way they were marked- it didn't make sense. It was almost like these were warnings themselves, guarding something far more dangerous, something monstrous or demonic.

If Tsuna was already having doubts, then they were not calmed when he finally noticed a golden plate hidden beneath vines and leaves. It was a warning on the door. It spoke of great dangers to those who enter and disturb the peace of this tomb.

Surely it was not hinting that there were dangers locked away in the temple/tomb, wonder Tsuna. The Egyptians believed that those who disturbed their final resting places would be cursed and the people of Namimori must have believed the same. But Tsuna wasn't convinced.

But there was only one way to find out: he had to go inside. While it would better if he came with one of the crew members, Tsuna decided that he would go alone.

But the doors were slammed shut and must have weighed at least five tons each. Tsuna would never be able to get through these doors alone, not with his measly arms. But even if he were to get Ryohei or Gokudera to help, they would probably destroy it first and Tsuna could not risk the demolishment of such an important building.

Looking around, Tsuna walked around the edges to see if there was a way inside.

It didn't take him long to find an opening. A branch had already found itself a hole in the wall, just large enough for Tsuna to squeeze in through.

Making up his mind, Tsuna shoved his journal inside his bag and locked it tight, making sure that it was secure and that nothing would fly out. Once he was sure that it was all set, he began to swing his bag before throwing it at the ledge. It took him more than a few tries to finally aim it correctly and it took a while longer for him to power a strong enough throw to get it to fall inside, but when he did, Tsuna smiled at his accomplishment and had begun to climb the rocks to get inside.

Breathing deeply, Tsuna flexed his arms and legs and looked at the ledge. There were no boulders for him to climb, and the only way inside was to climb the large tree and crawl inside. But the tree was at least five feet away from the ledge and Tsuna had no choice but to jump.

Fear momentarily washed over him, but Tsuna shook the negative thoughts away and prepared himself for a run. While he was not good at sports or any physical activity, Tsuna was at least somewhat good at physics- even though he could still not comprehend math.

With a nod to himself, Tsuna raced a crossed the pavement, flashing past the pillars and jumped, but he had jumped too early and slipped.

Tsuna screamed his trademark "Hieee" and stretched his arms wide willing for them to capture onto something.

And by struck of luck or a gift by the gods, Tsuna was able to crash onto a sturdy branched that in no way cushioned his fall.

Groaning, Tsuna rubbed at his head and began to nurse his back where most of his fall had landed. Nothing was broken, or nothing he could tell. He was still in control of his limbs and while there was a small sting at the movement, Tsuna looked at his surroundings before planning a way to climb the tree.

He didn't have that many options unless he wished for a very quick and painful death where rocks laid beneath him. Breathing in, Tsuna gathered what little courage he had left and tried to climb the tree.

It was not long, but it was tiring and Tsuna had found that the process was a lot harder than other people made it out to be. He found himself slipping and losing his grip too many times, but he was luckily able to make it to the branch. Pushing himself towards the branch, Tsuna crawled inside, minding his head as to prevent further damage to his body and jumped down.

Tsuna coughed slightly before walking inside to take a closer look at the temple. The place was rather large and it was only one room. The room itself was acting as a secondary cone and was made completely of volcanic glass- meaning that the once mountain was, in fact, a long-dead volcano.

In the far back, there was a large black gate, that was at least 15 feet tall and stood guard were the six animal jade statues. On the other side of the room, there were three large statues watching the gate. It was the Sky Queen and her Spell Guards.

In the middle, there was a casket made from marble in the center.

Walking towards it, Tsuna gently wiped away the dust and grime. "Luce, the last Sky Queen."

Amazed, Tsuna laughed.

"This is incredible," he said gazing around at the murals that circled the room.

Taking out his flashlight, Tsuna walked to the first one.

"This looks like some fire ritual, a sacrificial ritual," murmured Tsuna as he gently touched the work. It seemed his intuition was right that this was not a simple temple, but a tomb of sacrifice.

The mural was painted on the wall, chipped and mostly withered away, but he could still make out the high priestess covered in fire- appearing as if she was burning alive in an orange flame. Behind her was a stone gate, the same gate in this room. And below her were her people…asleep?

Confused, Tsuna moved to the next one. "This one speaks of a journey- a pilgrimage to ...this temple."

Tsuna continued to move on to the next one. It was the queen surrounded by her soldiers waiting for her as her maidens helped her get ready in her signature white dress and hat. This one was mostly kept intact and Tsuna briefly marveled at the beauty of the Queen before going to the last one (the first of the sequence).

"And there you are."

Luce was floating in the sky, surrounded by the key elements: cloud, rain, storm, mist, lightning, and the sun. They looked to be harmony.

Suddenly a thought popped inside his head.

"If she is the Sky Queen and is in harmony with the elements, she must have been the Gatekeeper of both the earth and the afterlife. Even in death, she guards them now."

But if she was the one guarding the earth and the afterlife, then what were the animals doing?

The stood opposite to her, one side of light that journey to the outside world while the other was dark and cold, leading to the oblivion. But the people of Namimori did not fear death. Similar to the Egyptians, they believed that it was the second journey of life, but the door seemed to be like a curse that would unleash upon the world if opened. Almost as if it was Pandora's Box. Which is why the Sky Queen guard them both. She not only stops the demons from coming into the world but from the world from entering into the abyss. Or possibly, stopping them from unleashing them.

But those are just legends, reasoned Tsuna. Plus, why would she need to be sacrificed? If her role was so dire and important, why would she agree to a sacrifice? What would her death cause?

None of it made sense. There was nothing in the journal or in any of his father's notes back at the mansion. There was nothing that leads to this-this chaotic evil. He must be mistaken, reasoned Tsuna before making his way towards the black gates to have a closer look. There were stories, but he barely seemed to mind them when he fell into some sort of trance when he had noticed that there were a few pieces missing. It was like a calling and he felt compelled to touch the black stones in front of him that stood off like pieces to a larger puzzle. And as Tsuna touched the cold volcanic glass, he could sense that danger lurked past those doors, but he shook such ridiculous thoughts away, but he could not stop the feeling of completing the puzzle that laid before him. Surely that must be the way to open the doors? How could the gates to the afterlife be so simple?

Closing his eyes, Tsuna let the smell of the earth calm his nerves. His body almost seemed to move on its own as he reached forward and moved the stones as if he's done it a hundred times before.

Breathing out, Tsuna pushed the final stone in the correct place, but nothing happened.

Confused, Tsuna stepped back to see what was wrong. Walking around, Tsuna looked at the murals more closely.

At first, he didn't see anything that stood out, but then he finally noticed a small black object that Luce was holding near her heart as the colors covered her. The same object was painted on the door in the mural. Moving to the last mural, Tsuna noted that she still held it in her hand, even though death, she would take it the afterlife.

Biting his lip, Tsuna spared the tomb a glance. If the murals are correct, then it should be buried with the high priestess. It was dangerous to disturb the resting place of anyone, but to open the tomb of such a high-ranking individual? She was in all rights a queen here and to disrupt her peace...

Tsuna shook his head. He shouldn't let folklore and legends stop him. He's traveled for miles and spent years searching for all of this. And this door could lead to the "afterlife." It was obviously well kept, guarded even with numerous statues.

Making up his mind, Tsuna shed his outer layers and rolled up his sleeves. Looking at the tomb, Tsuna spared it a brief prayer.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before he started to push at the top. But he was not really sure what he was sorry for.

The top part of the casket must have weighed a ton, but it almost seemed to slide off easily. Tsuna covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing loudly.

It smelled like dust and rot. Gazing at the corpse, Tsuna was surprised to find that the body of the High Priestess was still intact. The flesh seemed to be barely on the cuffs of rot. It was remarkable to think that the tomb was shut airtight to preserve her entirely. Yet, it could not stop the obvious decay as her skin and flesh turned black. Tsuna could make out her bones, but to think he is staring at the face of a queen almost a millennium after her supposed death.

Nearing the verge of hysteria, Tsuna laughed gleefully.

She was dressed in her robes which seemed to be made of fine silk and embroidered with gold thread. It was lovely and must have cost millions in today's currency.

Even her hat was made of the same fine silk as her dress, covered in gold and black dye, and a singular Boleite gem was on her hat, polished and cut like any modern diamond. Touching the gem, Tsuna stared amazed.

Boleite was native to Mexico and was commonly used for jewelry. It only further proved that Namimori was a vast in trading.

However, after his initial amazement was over, Tsuna searched for the black stone that was missing and like suspected, he found it in her hand. But, as soon as he grabbed it, he could have sworn he heard a scream as the hand almost jolted to stop him. Then, just like that, she almost seemed to fade, denigrating with a breeze, leaving only her clothes and the black stone behind.

Horrified, Tsuna squeezed the stone in the palm of his hand before he finally gathered the courage to look at it and found that it was not a just any rock, but a rock that took the shape a pacifier. What an odd choice, though Tsuna before making his way back to the Black Gates.

Slowly, almost as if in a daze, Tsuna placed the small stone inside the wall.

The voices of the forest seemed to get louder and Tsuna's head seemed to pound. The air continued to rock heavily outside and the air seemed to become freezing. Seeing his own breath, Tsuna could hear drums banging in the distance as the trees brushed against each other aggressively.

Something inside him roared. Something was coming, something dangerous. Falling backward, Tsuna watched in awe and in horror as the gates seemed to open on their own.

Looking inside carefully, it was completely dark. Fearfully, Tsuna grabbed his flashlight, but it was almost as if light could not exist there. It was almost like a black hole, eating away at the world.

Swallowing thickly, Tsuna moved closer hesitantly. He nearly flinched where there was a small gust of wind. There was an ominous presence around him.

But then, Suddenly, Tsuna landed on his back, pushed down by a great force.

Gasping loudly, Tsuna shut his eyes. He couldn't breathe. Then, he heard a voice, a deep chuckle ranged out, echoing all around him

When Tsuna opened his eyes, he could still smell the lingering scent of decay and the noticeable chill unusual from the humid temperature he felt a few hours before. But from the shadows past the doors, Tsuna could almost make out six figures making their way towards him.

Horrified, Tsuna's bright brown eyes met those of endless black.

"Chaos."


End file.
